Roskilde Cathedral: Denmark’s Royal Burial Church | REAL SCANDINAVIA Search for: Roskilde Cathedral: Denmark’s Royal Burial Church A visit to Roskilde Cathedral is a journey through centuries of Danish history. The first church on the site, made of wood, was built in the 900s by King Harald Bluetooth and was replaced in the following century by a stone church. The current brick church was begun in the 1170s and took more than 100 years to finish. The main body of the cathedral was completed in 1280 and is one of Scandinavia’s earliest examples of Gothic brick architecture. The gilded altarpiece was made in Antwerp around 1560 and depicts various scenes from the life of Jesus Christ, including the events of Easter Week, Christ’s death, and his childhood. On the reverse side are scenes of Christ’s good works. Roskilde Cathedral is worth visiting for its architectural value and the beauty of its interior, as well as for its historical significance. The cathedral has been the burial church for Danish royalty since the 15th century, with the numerous side chapels and porches added on over the years.

Among those who have found their final resting place at Roskilde is Queen Margrethe I (known as Margareta I in Sweden), the founder of the Kalmar Union, which united all three Scandinavian countries under one ruler for more than a century from 1397 to 1523. Margrethe died in 1412 and is entombed in a sarcophagus behind the altarpiece. One of the most interesting side chapels is the Chapel of the Magi, also known as Christian I’s Chapel, adjacent to the cathedral entrance. Built in the second half of the 15th century, the chapel holds the magnificent Renaissance tombs of Christian III (died 1559) and Frederik II (died 1588). The chapel’s founder, Christian I, died in 1481 and is buried in a small chamber under the floor alongside his queen, Dorothea.

A pillar in the center of the chapel carries markings indicating the heights of royal visitors, including the current queen, Margrethe II, as a princess (182 cm), Chulalongkorn of Thailand (165.4 cm), and Peter the Great of Russia (208.4 cm). Even after more than 500 years, no one has come close to equalling the height of Christian I himself, who apparently towered 219.5 cm (over 7 feet 2 inches) in height. A dozen royal family members – including kings Frederik V, Christian VI, Frederik VII, Christian VII, and Christian VIII, are buried in Frederik V’s Chapel, designed in 1789 On the north side of the cathedral is Christian IV’s Chapel, dating from approximately 1620, although the interior work was not completed until as late as 1866. Look for the signature of the king’s master smith at the bottom of the iron entrance doors: “Caspar Finke bin ich bennant. Dieser Arbeit bin ich bekannt” (“Caspar Finke is my name. To this work I owe my fame”).

Paintings in the chapel include Vilhelm Marstrand’s enormous depiction of a famous scene of the king on the ship Trefoldighet (Trinity) after being wounded in a sea battle off the island of Sehmern. Christian IV died in 1648 after being on the throne for just six weeks shy of Â 60 years, the longest reign of any Danish monarch. His chapel contains his coffin as well as those of his first wife, Anne Catherine of Brandenburg (died 1612); his eldest son, the heir apparent Christian (died 1647); his second son, who became King Frederik III (died 1670); and Frederik’s consort, Sophie Amalie of Brunswick-Lüneberg (died 1685). Roskilde Cathedral also contains numerous other chapels, including Trolle’s Chapel, notable for the distinctive troll figure in its wrought-iron grating – a play on the name of Niels Trolle, a prominent vassal of of Christian IV, who in 1644 was granted use of the 15th-century chapel as a burial vault for his family.

Most recently, in 1985, a special tomb was constructed outside the cathedral, to the northeast of the building, for King Frederik IX, who had died in 1972. His wife Queen Ingrid was buried with him upon her death in 2000. Roskilde Cathedral was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1995. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Email * Website Scandinavia comprises the three culturally, linguistically, and historically related nations of Sweden, Norway, and Denmark. Together with Finland and Iceland - as well as the territories of Greenland, the Faroe Islands, and Åland - they form the broader region known as the Nordic countries. RealScandinavia.com focuses on the three Scandinavian countries but includes occasional news and dispatches related to the greater Nordic area. Unless otherwise noted, all content on this site is copyright Annika S. Hipple / Real Scandinavia and may not be reproduced without permission. Real Scandinavia is an independent website and is not responsible for changes to admission fees or opening hours for attractions featured on this site. Roskilde Cathedral.

Denmark - Travel Photos by Galen R Frysinger, Sheboygan, Wisconsin Roskilde Cathedral Roskilde Cathedral (Danish: Roskilde Domkirke), in the city of Roskilde on the Island of Zealand (Sjï¿½lland) in eastern Denmark, was the first Gothic cathedral to be built of brick and its construction encouraged the spread of this Brick Gothic style throughout Northern Europe. It was built during the 12th and 13th centuries, and incorporates both Gothic and Romanesque architectural features in its design. It was the only cathedral in Zealand until the 20th century. The cathedral's twin spires dominate the skyline of the town. cathedral door opened only for the use of Royalty Roskilde Cathedral has been the main burial site for Danish monarchs since the 15th century. As such, it has been significantly extended and altered over time as individual rulers have added multiple burial chapels. Following the Reformation in 1536, the Bishop's residence was moved to Copenhagen, and he from then on held the title Bishop of Zealand. Royal coronations normally took place in Copenhagen's Church of Our Lady or the chapel of Frederiksborg Palace.

It is a major tourist attraction, bringing in over 125,000 visitors annually. Since 1995 the cathedral has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Since 1987, the cathedral has been the home of one of Denmark's leading boys' choirs, the Roskilde Cathedral Boys' Choir. The choir, soon celebrating its 20th birthday, is a key resource in the parish youth work. All choristers go to normal school but meet up 2-3 times a week to rehearse. Every second year the choir travels abroad; destinations being as different as New Zealand, Scandinavia, England, Greenland, France and Canada. Roskilde was named as the new capital of Denmark by King Harald Bluetooth about the year 960. A small timber church was built there and dedicated to the Holy Trinity. King Harald was buried inside the little church at Roskilde, but no trace of it has ever been located. pulpit About 991 Roskilde was made the seat of the Bishop of Roskilde under the supervision of the Archbishop of Hamburg, who had the responsibility for converting the pagan kingdoms of Scandinavia.

The bishop was responsible for the island of Zealand, southern Sweden (Scania), and the islands to the south including Rï¿½gen off the coast of northern Germany. Bishop Svend Nordmand (1076-1088) with donations from King Canute's sister, Estrid, oversaw the building of the first stone cathedral which was completed in 1080. The church was built in Romanesque style with half-rounded interior arches to support the flat interior ceiling. The main church had a long nave and two side aisles. Two towers flanked the west front entrance. A three-sided stone monastery was constructed adjoining the cathedral on the north side for the monks and others associated with the cathedral. Bishop Svend succeeded in bringing an important relic, the skull of St. Lucius, an early pope (253-255), who became the patron saint of the cathedral. The skull is now located in the Catholic Cathedral of St Ansgar in ï¿½rhus. stairway to the pulpit Perhaps the most famous of Roskilde's bishops was Absalon, the warrior bishop, who founded Copenhagen which he gave to the See of Roskilde.

Absalon later became the Archbishop of Lund. He was responsible for the construction of Our Lady Church in Copenhagen which in the twentieth century superseded Roskilde as Denmark's National Cathedral. King Valdemar deposited the relics of St. Canute Lavard in St Luke's on 25 June 1170, the same day as King Canute VI was crowned in Roskilde Cathedral, the only Danish coronation held at Roskilde. Absalon's successor Peder Sunesen began an ambitious expansion of the cathedral in 1200 modeled on the cathedral at Tournai, Belgium where he had been an abbot under his mentor, Bishop Stephen of Tournai. Without any good stone to work with, the cathedral was built with a new material, over-sized red bricks. Along with Sorï¿½ Abbey the cathedral served as a prototype for the many monasteries, churches, cathedrals and public buildings constructed in red brick all over Scandinavia and northern Germany. It has been estimated that the cathedral construction used more than 3,000,000 bricks.

The new cathedral was twice the height of the old one and built in the Gothic style with pointed arches and a vaulted ceiling which added height to the building. A transept was added giving the church a cruciform shape, and a rounded apse was added onto the choir. Two towers flanked the west front doors. The choir was divided from the nave for services associated with the monastery. The doorway between the nave and the altar was only opened on the great feast days of the liturgical calendar. On the north side four chapels were built for Saint Birgitte, St Christofer, and St. Andrew. Bishop Jacob Erlandsen built a school at the cathedral for the education of poor children in 1249. In 1310 a Lady Chapel was added onto the cathedral in the location of the present mausoleum which houses the tombs of many of Denmark's recent royal family. Bishop Peder Jensen Lodehat forcibly removed the body of Queen Margrethe I from Sorï¿½ Abbey in 1314 and interred her with great pomp inside the cathedral.

ceiling of the Chapel of the Three Kings In 1439 work began on the interior of the cathedral, proceeding as far as the choir. But on 14 May 1443 a terrible fire swept through the city and burned the cathedral. It was damaged so severely that it wasn't rededicated until 1464, built in the footprint of the earlier building. King Christian I paid for the addition of a new Chapel of the Three Kings as part of the overall reconstruction. Christian I and his wife Dorothea of Brandeburg are buried in the chapel, after Margrethe I, the oldest royal burials. The chapel also contains an unusual stone pillar called the "King's Column". Many members of the Danish royal family and important royal visitors have had their heights recorded on the stone. Beside Danish royals, Edward the VII of England, Peter the Great of Russia, and King Chulalongkorn of Thailand were measured on the column. St Luke's two west front towers were reconstructed with short spires much like those of the medieval church. The famous St George clock was added about 1500 and most visitors to the cathedral pause to watch St George attack the dragon on the hour.

Two other characters also move and strike bells on the quarter and half hours. In 1511 St Andrew's chapel and St Birgitta's chapel were painted with scenes from the lives of the saints. All through the cathedral's history people were buried inside the cathedral. Many were buried under the floor in brick tombs and a carved grave stone placed over the top. Wealthy individuals "lease" mausoleum space in the chapels that lines the aisles and many of them were decorated with wood or stone memorials that literally began to line all available wall space in the interior of the cathedral. The last Catholic bishops of Roskilde worked hard to stop the spread of Luther's ideas from being spread through the diocese, but they were unsuccessful. By 1536 both the king and the majority of Danes forced the monasteries, abbeys, church schools, and cathedral to give up traditional Catholic beliefs and adhere to Lutheran doctrine and practice. Joachim Rï¿½nnow, the last Catholic bishop of Roskilde, was imprisoned in 1536 and remained in Copehagen Castle until his death in 1544.

In 1538 Denmark's "Luther", Hans Tausen, came to the cathedral to put an end to the Catholic remnants in the services and operation of the cathedral. By 1540 all of the cathedral properties were confiscated by the king. the crypt The cathedral was the last bastion of Catholicism in Sjaelland, but in 1536 the Lutheran "superintendent" of Zealand moved to Copenhagen, although Roskilde was still officially the cathedral. The decline of Roskilde was precipitous, all the monasteries, church schools, chapter houses, were closed and the property snapped up by the crown or local noble families. The cathedral's gigantic crucifix and other Catholic symbols were taken down or destroyed. Because the church was a royal resting place, the cathedral was spared the savage looting of churches that accompanied the Reformation in other parts of the country. Superintendents quickly were titled bishops again and the Bishop of Zealand continued to live and work from Copenhagen until Zealand Diocese was split from Copenhagen in the 1920s.

In 1548 the widow of Mayor Van Seygens and Sidsel Lerbï¿½k were condemned and burned as witches on the cathedral square. In 1554 a new organ built by Herman Raphaelis was donated to the cathedral for services. It was enlarged in 1600 and 1833 and restored once again in 1988. St Luke's was made a parish church for central Roskilde. In 1583 the last known nun died, ending five hundred years of monastery life around the cathedral. The wonderful 1560 three-sided altar piece was carved in Antwerp and is one of the cathedral's great treasures. The pulpit was a gift of King Christian IV in 1610. The artist who worked in sandstone, marble and alabaster was the well-known sculptor Hans Brockman. In 1614 St Christofer's and St Andrews Chapels were torn down to permit the building of Christian IV's chapel. In 1635-6 the two west towers were raised and given the now familiar tall thin spires clad in copper. The towers house six bells.

The oldest surviving bell was cast in 1508 by Hans Jensen. Johannes Fastenőwe cast two bells in 1511 paid for by Bishop Johan Ravensberg. The largest bell, "Stormklokken", hangs in the north tower. A. Burchado cast a bell in 1594 that hangs with the Jensen and smaller Fastenőwe bell in the south tower. A magnificent Royal Door on the west front was carved by Geert Barchmann. The new portal was used only on state occasions; visitors enter by the south door. The beautiful entrance was later moved to Holmen Church in Copenhagen. In 1645 Zealand's bishop ordered the recording of all baptism, marriages, and deaths throughout Zealand and many of Denmark's earliest vital records exist as a result. In the Danish-Swedish Wars of the 1650s King Gustav Vasa of Sweden's army invaded and occupied parts of Denmark including Roskilde. Queen Margrethe's restored sarcophagus is still on display at Roskilde. In 1672 Oluf Mortensen's "weapons porch" attached to the cathedral was torn down.

In 1968 the Margrethe Spire over the crossing was destroyed by fire, and its two bells, one from 1200 and one from 1613 were damaged beyond repair. Two new bells were cast by the Petit and Fritsen Company and hung in 1970. Since 1987, the cathedral has been the home of one of Denmark's leading boys' choirs, the Roskilde Cathedral Boys' Choir. The choir, soon celebrating its 20th birthday, is a key resource in the parish youth work. All choristers go to normal school but meet 2-3 times a week to rehearse. Every second year the choir travels abroad; with destinations as different as New Zealand, Scandinavia, England, Greenland, France and Canada. Later Royalty are buried in the Glï¿½cksborgian Chapel . Text from Wikipedia Roskilde Domkirke/Cathedral - YouTube Roskilde Domkirke/Cathedral Want to watch this again later? Sign in to add this video to a playlist. Need to report the video? Sign in to report inappropriate content. Rating is available when the video has been rented. This feature is not available right now.

Please try again later. Uploaded on Oct 20, 2010 Was taking a short trip to Roskilde with my sister and mom and wanted to make a film on this great historic Cathedral. i know its quite bad ;) haha Roskilde Cathedral (Danish: Roskilde Domkirke), in the city of Roskilde on the Island of Zealand (Sjælland) in eastern Denmark, was the first Gothic cathedral to be built of brick and its construction encouraged the spread of this Brick Gothic style throughout Northern Europe. It was built during the 12th and 13th centuries, and incorporates both Gothic and Romanesque architectural features in its design. It was the only cathedral in Zealand until the 20th century. The cathedral's twin spires dominate the skyline of the town Roskilde Cathedral has been the main burial site for Danish monarchs since the 15th century. As such, it has been significantly extended and altered over time as individual rulers have added multiple burial chapels. Following the Reformation in 1536, the Bishop's residence was moved to Copenhagen, and he from then on held the title Bishop of Zealand.

Royal coronations normally took place in Copenhagen's Church of Our Lady or the chapel of Frederiksborg Palace Category Roskilde Cathedral | The World Heritage Channel HOME / Europe / Kingdom-of-denmark / Roskilde Cathedral Roskilde Cathedral Roskilde Cathedral (Danish: Roskilde Domkirke), in the city of Roskilde on the island of Zealand (Sjælland) in eastern Denmark, is a cathedral of the Lutheran Church of Denmark. The first Gothic cathedral to be built of brick, it encouraged the spread of the Brick Gothic style throughout Northern Europe. Constructed during the 12th and 13th centuries, the cathedral incorporates both Gothic and Romanesque architectural features in its design. Until the 20th century, it was Zealand’s only cathedral. Its twin spires dominate the skyline of the town. The cathedral has been the main burial site for Danish monarchs since the 15th century. As such, it has been significantly extended and altered over the centuries to accommodate a considerable number of burial chapels. Following the Danish Reformation in 1536, the bishop’s residence was moved to Copenhagen while the title was changed to Bishop of Zealand.

Coronations normally took place in Copenhagen’s Church of Our Lady or in the chapel of Frederiksborg Palace. The cathedral is a major tourist attraction, bringing in over 125,000 visitors annually. Since 1995, it has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. A working church, it also hosts concerts throughout the year. Royal Crypts – The Burial Places of European Monarchs | European Travelista You are here: Home / Destinations / Europe / Austria / Royal Crypts – The Burial Places of European Monarchs Royal Crypts – The Burial Places of European Monarchs Tweet One of the reasons I love visiting Europe is its vast history. I am always awed by the depth of European history. This history is definitely intertwined with the lives of European Kings and Queens and I not only learn by visiting the places they lived but by seeing where they rest today. This is one of the reasons I enjoy visiting cemeteries and royal crypts. If you’re like me and enjoy visiting royal crypts, here are 6 that you may find interesting. Speyer Cathedral, Germany What Clovis I began in 1030 is today a symbol of Imperial power.

Between this date and 1308 the cathedral became the burial site of 8 Emperors, Kings and their wives. The UNESCO World Heritage site is known as one of the most important Romanesque sites in Germany and the crypt is actually the largest Hall Crypt in Europe. Speyer Cathedral Hall Crypt by Mussklprozz at de.wikipedia Church of Our Lady in Laeken Belgium This neo-Gothic Catholic church contains the Royal crypt that is the final resting place of the Belgian Royal family including the first King and Queen of Belgium, Leopold I and Louise-Marie. In fact, it was King Leopold I that originally had the church built in memory of his wife, Queen Louise-Marie. Built during the 19th century, today the Royal crypt holds the remains of all Belgian Kings. Imperial Crypt Austria The Imperial Crypt in Vienna has been the main burial site for the members of the Hapsburg family since 1622. It was Anna of Tyrol who, in her will, gave the funding for the crypt. Today it is one of the most visited places in all of Vienna.

As I mentioned in The Hapsburgs: Living Large in Life and Death , this is the final resting place of 12 Emperors and 18 Empresses. The sarcophagi range from rather plain to very ornate and the amount of decoration seems to correlate to the importance of the person. Crypt of Charles VI Holy Roman Emperor Roskilde Cathedral Denmark The Roskilde Cathedral was constructed during the 12th and 13th centuries and is located on the island of Zealand. Besides being the main burial site of Danish Royalty this is the first Gothic cathedral to be built of brick. There are many burial chapels within the cathedral containing the remains of Danish royalty. Roskilde Dom by Fingalo Westminster Abbey England The oldest part of Westminster Abbey dates from 1050 and until 1760, this mainly Gothic church in London, was the burial place for English and British monarchs. The monarchs are buried inside the chapels of the church while other significant persons are buried in the cloisters and other areas on the grounds. Queen Elizabeth I and Bloody Queen Mary are among the monarchs buried in the Abbey.

Tomb Effigies of Henry VII and Elizabeth of York by lisby1, on Flickr St Denis Basilica France Located near Paris, this medieval Abbey was a burial place of French Kings and their families from the 10th – 18th centuries. In fact, all but three Kings of France are buried here many in “cadaver tombs”. These double-decker tombs have the person’s effigy on top and a decomposing effigy underneath. Among those buried hear include Clovis I and what remains of King Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette. St Denis by Roi Boshi Do you visit Royal Crypts? If you like our site, please consider sharing us through one of the following or subscribe via RSS feed!

Related posts: Roskilde Domkirke - Cathedral Building in Denmark - e-architect Home > Denmark > Roskilde Domkirke – Cathedral Building in Denmark Roskilde Domkirke – Cathedral Building in Denmark Published by Isabelle Lomholt updated on September 8, 2016 Roskilde Cathedral Building, Religious Architecture Denmark, Sjælland Roskilde Domkirke : Cathedral Building in Denmark Danish Architecture Developments in Zealand 10 Jan 2014 Design: Various Location: Sjælland, east Denmark, close to Copenhagen Roskilde Domkirke (Roskilde Cathedral) in the city of Roskilde on the island of Zealand (Sjælland) in eastern Denmark, is a cathedral of the Lutheran Church of Denmark. The first Gothic cathedral to be built of brick, it encouraged the spread of the Brick Gothic style throughout Northern Europe. Constructed during the 12th and 13th centuries, the cathedral incorporates both Gothic and Romanesque architectural features in its design. Until the 20th century, it was Zealand’s only cathedral. Its twin spires dominate the skyline of the town.

The cathedral has been the main burial site for Danish monarchs since the 15th century. As such, it has been significantly extended and altered over the centuries to accommodate a considerable number of burial chapels. Following the Danish Reformation in 1536, the bishop’s residence was moved to Copenhagen while the title was changed to Bishop of Zealand. Coronations normally took place in Copenhagen’s Church of Our Lady or in the chapel of Frederiksborg Palace. The cathedral is a major tourist attraction, bringing in over 125,000 visitors annually. Since 1995, it has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. A working church, it also hosts concerts throughout the year. Photos : Adrian Welch To see all listed projects on a single map please follow this link . Architecture in Denmark Martin Biopower :: Roskilde Plant, Denmark Roskilde Plant, Denmark The Technology The plant will use more than 95% of the energy in the waste processed. A Martin Reverse-Action Grate and Boiler is used to combust refuse and produce steam (there are other suppliers involved in other components of the plant). The plant capacity is 250-300K tonnes per annum.

Steam from the plant is supplied into the district heating system for supply to 40,000 homes. Electricity is supplied to the grid for 65,000 homes. The output in thermal expression is 19 MW of electricity and 52 MW of heat. The plant has a steam generating efficiency of 82% and an overall efficiency of 34%. Minerals are extracted from bottom ash for reuse. The metal-free bottom ash is also used for the foundations of roads and carparks and replaces the use of aggregates. Where bottom ash is used, less than 5% of residual flue gas residue extracted through cleaning processes remains for landfill. The Community The plant is in Denmark at Roskilde (southwest of Compenhagen). It is owned by 9 municipalities. Denmark now has 29 Waste-to-Energy (WtE) plants, serving 98 municipalities in a country of 5.5 million people, with 10 more planned for construction. Plants in Denmark are placed in the communties that they serve so that the heat from burning waste can be piped into homes together with economical electricity from secure supply sources.

Denmark provides 60% of its energy from renewable supplies. Thermal combustion of waste is seen as a clean safe energy source. Location and visual amenity: The plant is located within an industrial precinct, but within 500 metres of residential housing. The plant is highly visible, and has become an symbol of the community’s efforts towards energy self-sufficiency. Aesthetics Designed by Dutch architect Erick van Egeraart, the building has won a number of architectural awards. The facility will form an axis with the Cathedral of Roskilde (Roskilde Domkirke). This cathedral has been the main burial site for Danish monarchs since the 15th century. It is clearly visible on the horizon with its significant spires, which have been the city's hallmark since the 17th century. The large, outspoken, amber-coloured design will give an insight into the mostly hidden processes of transforming waste into energy. At night, the backlighting of the perforated facade will transform the spire into an illusion of a glowing beacon, symbolizing the energy production inside the facility.

On special occasions, the building will be illuminated, and for a few minutes every hour a spark will gradually grow into a blazing flame, eating up the entire building. The Cost The plant cost €175m Euro and was commissioned in 2013. Revenue comes from sale of heat and electricity, use of bottom ash and a gate fee. The heat and electricity rates are supported by the Government and have a strong focus on clean energy and reduction of greenhouse emissions. Gate fees typically include amortisation and interest. In Denmark gate fees are very low - around €40 euro per tonne, where modern plants optimise combined heat and power outputs from waste combustion. The Plant’s Success Points It works! Built on proven technology components with high levels of efficiency, reliability and flexibility. Replaces more than 150,000 tonnes of alternative fuel use. Fits into the appropriate place in the waste hierarchy. Valued by the community for its heat and power through clean low emission combustion, and low gate costs. Energy security is enhanced and landfill-avoided waste transport activity is minimal.

Emissions from the plant are all well below the Euro WID directive for WtE facilities and are also below the even more stringent controls imposed by the Danish government. Through imaginative architectural success, the plant has become a symbol of the community’s commitment to a clean energy environment. Roskilde Cathedral | OpenBuildings Roskilde Cathedral Our community will shower you with puppies. Ontotext edited this building last References Wikipedia , licensed under the GFDL Suggestions View original size Report Roskilde Cathedral (Danish: Roskilde Domkirke), in the city of Roskilde on the Island of Zealand (Sjælland) in eastern Denmark, is a cathedral of the Lutheran Church of Denmark. It was the first Gothic cathedral to be built of brick and its construction encouraged the spread of this Brick Gothic style throughout Northern Europe. It was built during the 12th and 13th centuries, and incorporates both Gothic and Romanesque architectural features in its design. It was the only cathedral in Zealand until the 20th century, and its twin spires dominate the skyline of the town. Roskilde Cathedral has been the main burial site for Danish monarchs since the 15th century.

As such, it has been significantly extended and altered over the centuries as individual rulers have added many burial chapels. Following the Danish Reformation in 1536, the Bishop's residence was moved to Copenhagen, and he from then on held the title Bishop of Zealand. Royal coronations normally took place in Copenhagen's Church of Our Lady or in the chapel of Frederiksborg Palace. The cathedral is a major tourist attraction, bringing in over 125,000 visitors annually. Since 1995 it has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. A working church, it also hosts concerts throughout the year. History Roskilde was named as the new capital of Denmark by King Harald Bluetooth about the year 960. A small timber church was built there and dedicated to the Holy Trinity. King Harald was buried inside the little church at Roskilde, but no trace of it has ever been located. In about 991 Roskilde was made the seat of the Bishop of Roskilde under the supervision of the Archbishop of Hamburg, who had the responsibility for converting the pagan kingdoms of Scandinavia.

The bishop was responsible for the island of Zealand, Scania, and the islands to the south including Rügen off the coast of northern Germany. Bishop Svend Nordmand (1076-1088) with donations from King Canute's sister, Estrid, oversaw the building of the first stone cathedral which was completed in 1080. The church was built in Romanesque style with half-rounded interior arches to support the flat interior ceiling. The main church had a long nave and two side aisles. Two towers flanked the west front entrance. A three-sided stone monastery was constructed adjoining the cathedral on the north side for the monks and others associated with the cathedral. Bishop Svend succeeded in bringing an important relic, the skull of St. Lucius, an early pope (253-255), who became the patron saint of the cathedral. The skull is now located in the Catholic Cathedral of St. Ansgar in Copenhagen. Perhaps the most famous of Roskilde's bishops was Absalon, the warrior bishop, who founded Copenhagen which he gave to the See of Roskilde. Absalon later became the Archbishop of Lund.

He was responsible for the construction of Our Lady Church in Copenhagen which in the twentieth century superseded Roskilde as Denmark's National Cathedral. King Valdemar deposited the relics of St. Canute Lavard in St Lucius' on 25 June 1170, the same day as King Canute VI was crowned in Roskilde Cathedral, the only Danish coronation held at Roskilde. Absalon's successor Peder Sunesen began an ambitious expansion of the cathedral in 1200 modeled on the cathedral at Tournai, Belgium where he had been an abbot under his mentor, Bishop Stephen of Tournai. Without any good stone to work with, the cathedral was built with a new material, over-sized red bricks. Along with Sorø Abbey the cathedral served as a prototype for the many monasteries, churches, cathedrals and public buildings constructed in red brick all over Scandinavia and northern Germany. It has been estimated that the cathedral construction used more than 3,000,000 bricks. The new cathedral was twice the height of the old one and built in the Gothic style with pointed arches and a vaulted ceiling which added height to the building.

A transept was added giving the church a cruciform shape, and a rounded apse was added onto the choir. Two towers flanked the west front doors. The choir was divided from the nave for services associated with the monastery. The doorway between the nave and the altar was only opened on the great feast days of the liturgical calendar. On the north side four chapels were built for Saint Birgitte, St Christofer, and St. Andrew. Bishop Jacob Erlandsen built a school at the cathedral for the education of poor children in 1249. In 1310 a Lady Chapel was added onto the cathedral in the location of the present mausoleum which houses the tombs of many of Denmark's recent royal family. Bishop Peder Jensen Lodehat forcibly removed the body of Queen Margrethe I from Sorø Abbey in 1414 and interred her with great pomp inside the cathedral. In 1439 work began on the interior of the cathedral, proceeding as far as the choir. But on 14 May 1443 a terrible fire swept through the city and burned the cathedral.

It was damaged so severely that it wasn't rededicated until 1464, built in the footprint of the earlier building. King Christian I paid for the addition of a new Chapel of the Three Kings as part of the overall reconstruction. Christian I and his wife Dorothea of Brandenburg are buried in the chapel, after Margrethe I, the oldest royal burials. The chapel also contains an unusual stone pillar called the "King's Column". Many members of the Danish royal family and important royal visitors have had their heights recorded on the stone. Beside Danish royals, Edward the VII of England, Peter the Great of Russia, and King Chulalongkorn of Thailand were measured on the column. St Lucius' two west front towers were reconstructed with short spires much like those of the medieval church. The famous St George clock was added about 1500 and most visitors to the cathedral pause to watch St George attack the dragon on the hour. Two other characters also move and strike bells on the quarter and half hours. In 1511 St Andrew's chapel and St Birgitta's chapel were painted with scenes from the lives of the saints.

All through the cathedral's history people were buried inside the cathedral. Many were buried under the floor in brick tombs and a carved grave stone placed over the top. Wealthy individuals "lease" mausoleum space in the chapels that lines the aisles and many of them were decorated with wood or stone memorials that literally began to line all available wall space in the interior of the cathedral. The last Catholic bishops of Roskilde worked hard to stop the spread of Luther's ideas from being spread through the diocese, but they were unsuccessful. By 1536 both the king and the majority of Danes forced the monasteries, abbeys, church schools, and cathedral to give up traditional Catholic beliefs and adhere to Lutheran doctrine and practice. Joachim Rønnow, the last Catholic bishop of Roskilde, was imprisoned in 1536 and remained in Copehagen Castle until his death in 1544. In 1538 Denmark's "Luther", Hans Tausen, came to the cathedral to put an end to the Catholic remnants in the services and operation of the cathedral. By 1540 all of the cathedral properties were confiscated by the king.

The cathedral was the last bastion of Catholicism in Sjaelland, but in 1536 the Lutheran Superintendent of Zealand moved to Copenhagen, although Roskilde was still officially the cathedral. The decline of Roskilde was precipitous, all the monasteries, church schools, chapter houses, were closed and the property snapped up by the crown or local noble families. The cathedral's gigantic crucifix and other Catholic symbols were taken down or destroyed. Because the church was a royal resting place, the cathedral was spared the savage looting of churches that accompanied the Reformation in other parts of the country. Superintendents quickly were titled bishops again and the Bishop of Zealand continued to live and work from Copenhagen until Zealand Diocese was split from Copenhagen in the 1920s. In 1548 the widow of Mayor Van Seygens and Sidsel Lerbæk were condemned and burned as witches on the cathedral square. St Lucius' was made a parish church for central Roskilde. In 1583 the last known nun died, ending five hundred years of monastery life around the cathedral.

The wonderful 1560 three-sided altar piece was carved in Antwerp and is one of the cathedral's great treasures. The pulpit was a gift of King Christian IV in 1610. The artist who worked in sandstone, marble and alabaster was the well-known sculptor Hans Brockman. In 1614 St Christofer's and St Andrews Chapels were torn down to permit the building of Christian IV's chapel. In 1635-6 the two west towers were raised and given the now familiar tall thin spires clad in copper. The towers house six bells. The oldest surviving bell was cast in 1508 by Hans Jensen. Johannes Fastenőwe cast two bells in 1511 paid for by Bishop Johan Ravensberg. The largest bell, "Stormklokken", hangs in the north tower. A. Burchado cast a bell in 1594 that hangs with the Jensen and smaller Fastenőwe bell in the south tower. A magnificent Royal Door on the west front was carved by Geert Barchmann. The new portal was used only on state occasions; visitors enter by the south door.

The beautiful entrance was later moved to Holmen Church in Copenhagen. In 1645 Zealand's bishop ordered the recording of all baptism, marriages, and deaths throughout Zealand and many of Denmark's earliest vital records exist as a result. In 1672 Oluf Mortensen's "weapons porch" attached to the cathedral was torn down. In 1968 the Margrethe Spire over the crossing was destroyed by fire, and its two bells, one from 1200 and one from 1613 were damaged beyond repair. Two new bells were cast by the Petit and Fritsen Company and hung in 1970. Royal Burials Harald I Bluetooth (d. between 979-987) (supposedly walled up in a pillar near the Choir, but no remains have been found as of yet) Choir Sweyn I Forkbeard (d. 1014) Sweyn II Estridsen (d. 1076) Margrethe I (d. 1412)(immediately behind the high altar) Estrid Svendsdatter (d.

between 1057 & 1073) (walled up in the north pier flanking the apse) Apse Christopher III of Bavaria (d. 1448) Christian V (d. 1699) and Queen Charlotte Amalie of Hesse-Kassel (or Hesse-Cassel) (d. 1714) Frederick IV (d. 1730) and Queens: Louise of Mecklenburg-Güstrow (d. 1721) Chapel of the Magi (Christian I's Chapel) Christian I (d. 1481) and Queen Dorothy of Brandenburg (d. 1495) Christian III (d. 1559) and Queen Dorothy of Saxony-Lauenburg (d. 1571) Frederick II (d. 1588) and Queen Sophia of Mecklenburg-Schwerin (d. 1631) Frederick V's Chapel Christian VI (d. 1746) and Queen Sophia Magdalena of Brandenburg-Kulmbach (d. 1770) Frederick V (d. 1766) and Queens: Louise of Great Britain (d.

1751) and Juliana Maria of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel (d. 1796) Christian VII (d. 1808) Frederick VI (d. 1839) and Queen Marie of Hesse-Kassel (or Hesse-Cassel) (d. 1852) Christian VIII (d. 1848) and Queen Caroline Amalie of Schleswig-Holstein (d. 1881) Frederick VII (d. 1863) Christian, Prince Elect (d. 1647) Christian IV (d. 1648) and Queen Anne Catherine of Brandenburg (d. 1612) Frederick III (d. 1670) and Sophie Amalie of Brunswick-Lüneburg (d.

1685) Christian IX's Chapel Christian IX (1906) and Queen Louise of Hesse-Kassel (or Hesse-Cassel) (1898) Frederick VIII (1912) and Queen Louise of Sweden-Norway (1926) Christian X (1947) and Queen Alexandrine of Mecklenburg-Schwerin (1952) Frederick IX's Burial Site Frederick IX (d. 1972) and Queen Ingrid of Sweden (d. 2000) The coffin of the Empress of Russia Maria Feodorovna was also kept at Roskilde until 23 September 2006, when it was returned to Russia after the agreement between Denmark and Russia stating that her remains were to be buried next to her husband Alexander III in the imperial burial vaults beneath the Peter and Paul Cathedral in Saint Petersburg. Queen Margrethe II have chosen Saint Birgitte's chapel as her and the Prince Consorts future burial site, with a double sarcophagus created by artist Bjørn Nørgaard.

Boy's Choir Since 1987, the cathedral has been the home of one of Denmark's leading boys' choirs, the Roskilde Cathedral Boys' Choir. The choir is a key resource in the parish youth work. All choristers go to normal school but meet 2-3 times a week to rehearse. Every second year the choir travels abroad; with destinations as different as New Zealand, Scandinavia, England, Greenland, France and Canada. Organ In 1554 a new organ built by Herman Raphaelis was donated to the cathedral for services. It was enlarged in 1600 and 1833 and restored once again in 1988 and 2000.

Question: Roskilde Cathedral has been the burial site of the monarchs of which European country since the 15th century?
Answer: Denmark